Microcosm Publishing

Microcosm Publishing is an independent publisher and distributor based in Portland, Oregon and Leavenworth, Kansas. They distribute ideas through zines, books, pamphlets, stickers, buttons, patches, t-shirts, posters, videos, and more. They publish zine and book works by others in the hopes that it will add credibility to zine writers and their ethics. Their titles attempt to teach self empowerment to disenfranchised people and to nurture their creative side. Current staff includes Rio Safari, Joe Biel, Nate Beaty, Jessie Duquette, Adam Gnade, Nate Beaty, Danielle Duquette, and Matt Gauck.

History

Beginning in 1996 with only Joe Biel doing part time mail order out of a bedroom in Cleveland, Ohio, Microcosm moved to Portland, OR in 1999. The operation grew significantly over the years, and in March 2007 moved its mail order operation to Bloomington, Indiana.^[1][2][3]

In 2006, the Utne Reader described Microcosm as an "esteemed Portland, Oregon-based publisher and distributor of zines, books, pamphlets, DVDs, and other fun stuff."^[4] Microcosm is heralded in the zine community as an entity that, for better or worse, has brought zines into a larger consciousness in the new millennium, after former mainstream interest has largely subsided. They are responsible for many of the recent zine/book hybrid aesthetics and zines that have fancier covers or design aesthetics such as multiple color screenprints, letterpress, or offset printing.^{[citation needed]} There is a particular focus towards images and artwork celebrating bicycles and radical politics. Many of the items offered are not available easily elsewhere on the web or otherwise.^{[citation needed]}

Incorporating the tactics of early punk record labels and a DIY approach, Microcosm uses guerrilla styled tactics for promoting their titles unlike most publishers of equal size. They rarely purchase advertising, and rely more heavily on the people who appreciate their craft independently passing out their catalogs in their respective towns.^{[citation needed]}

In September 2008, Microcosm opened a new retail store in the Buckman neighborhood of southeast Portland. There was a noticeable shift in the type of reading material offered, since most stock is "hurts" and "remainders" sold at half retail price or less.^[5] In May 2010 the store grew for a third time and moved in with Printed Matter Screenprinting and Eberhardt Press in a new building in southeast Portland at 636 SE 11th Ave.

In July 2011, Microcosm closed its Bloomington, Indiana office and opened a new distro/mailorder location in Lansing, Kansas.^[6] One month later, Lansing staffer Jessie Duquette (aka "Jessie Duke"), an employee since 2006, became co-owner of Microcosm.^[7]

For nearly sixteen years, Microcosm has remained truly independent of any outside management or funding and has suffered the corresponding financial hardships. Management decisions are made internally in meetings where full time staff collective members have an equal vote. ^[8]

Microcosm Publishing was formerly a record label, and released records by Flotation Walls, Bedford, Organic, Cripple Kid, The Unknown, The Roswells, Little Dipper, Rock, Star.

Books , Videos, and Zines

Published Titles include:

Things are Meaning Less Make Your Place: Affordable, sustainable nesting skills Flow Chronicles Stolen Sharpie Revolution On Subbing Brainscan The CIA Makes Science Fiction Unexciting $100 & A T-Shirt Applicant Green Zine Journalsong Secret Files of Cap'n Sissy Hot Damn & Hell Yeah / Dirty South

Xtra Tuf Support Zine Doris anthology Making Stuff and Doing Things Indestructible Sounds of Your Name Please Don't Feed the Bears Cantankerous Titles & Obscure Ephemera Zinester's Guide to Portland Dreamwhip Perfect Mix Tape Segue

Homeland Insecurity Coffeeshop Crushes Snakepit: My Life in a Jugular Vein Bipedal, By Pedal Invincible Summer: An Anthology Invincible Summer: An Anthology, Vol II My Brain Hurts #1-5 DIY Screenprinting #1-3 Distance Makes The Heart Grow Sick Constant Rider Omnibus Chainbreaker Bike Book I Hate This Part of Texas #7 / Keep Loving, Keep Fighting #7 Still We Ride X Ray Visions Welcome to the Dahl House Mostly True Dwelling Portably '80-89 Brainfag Forever Make a Zine Notes from Underground Zine Yearbook #9

References

1. ^ "Rents up, so 'weird' businesses pull out", Eugene Register-Guard, March 17, 2007.
2. ^ "Small publisher says bye-bye Portland and hello Bloomington", The Herald-Times (Bloomington, Indiana), July 1, 2007 (pay site).
3. ^ Scott Moore, "Microcosm Publishing Moving to Indiana", The Portland Mercury, March 8, 2007.
4. ^ "From the Stacks", Utne Reader, October 27, 2006.
5. ^ Alison Hallett, "Microcosm Comes Home: Microcosm Publishing opens a new Portland storefront", The Portland Mercury, October 23, 2008.
6. ^ http://microcosmpublishing.com/blogifesto/2011/07/country-grammar-a-microcosm-publishing-kansas-staff-diary-1
7. ^ http://microcosmpublishing.com/about
8. ^ http://www.sheepless.org/magazine/features/microcosm-publishing-pairs-do-it-yourself-aesthetic-do-it-together-ethic

External links

• Official Site
• Blog for Portland storefront